In France, Le Pen retains decisive influence in National Rally — FT editor
In France, differences have emerged between Marine Le Pen and Jordan Bardella, the formal president of the far-right National Rally party, over the party’s political future. Financial Times senior editor Victor Mallet said in an interview with France 24 that Le Pen retains decisive ideological and strategic influence in the political force.
Dispute over migration agreement
According to Mallet, the dispute over Bardella’s migration agreement with British politician Nigel Farage is important not so much because of its content. In his view, what mattered was that Bardella likely demonstrated a desire to conduct foreign policy independently, without Le Pen’s approval.
Mallet said that Le Pen determines the party’s course “very clearly.” At the same time, Bardella has built his own political support base, particularly among younger voters and part of the business community.
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Pensions and the party’s future
In the FT editor’s opinion, Bardella is more inclined to recognize budgetary constraints and consider reforms in pension and economic policy. Le Pen, Mallet believes, adheres to National Rally’s socially protective economic platform.
He also believes that Bardella seeks to expand the party into a coalition of centre-right and nationalist forces, while Le Pen is more protective of its established identity and policies. Mallet considers reconciliation between the politicians a rational option, since removing one of them could weaken the other.
